Would it make a difference if the SSEF did not exist?

This is perhaps the most fundamental and important question of all. Scarsdale is very proud of the reputation of its school system and our schools are the reason many of us have chosen to live here. The excellence of the school system also helps maintain property values in Scarsdale. But Scarsdale schools are public schools, the size of the District’s annual budget is limited, state aid to the District is small by statute, and separate state regulation limits property tax increases.

Our teachers, administrators, and Board of Education do a terrific job within the constraints of the budget. At the same time, they have innovative and exciting ideas to improve the educational experience of our students. What they need is a place to go for financial support outside of the District’s budget to help them implement those ideas and realize their vision — and this is where the Foundation can play an important role.

As a community, we set very high standards for our schools, but we may not be able to achieve these goals through public funding alone. To provide our students with the best possible educational experience, the Foundation seeks to support them by funding state-of-the art technology, a creative curriculum, quality teaching techniques, and an environment that allows students to benefit from innovative educational theories and practices.